"Damn!"
The branding of the slave mark truly hurt.
He couldn’t help but blurt out a curse.
...
After returning to the mansion, Gu Jiao recounted how she became a riding instructor for the Little Princess, considering she would be visiting frequently, it was only proper to clarify things with her family.
Madam Nan served Gu Jiao a bowl of corn and rib soup. "Which Little Princess? Do we have a princess in the outer city?"
The title "princess" suggested a person of noble status, who usually lived in the inner city.
"The daughter of Lord Yun Shan," said Gu Jiao.
"Lord Yun Shan..." Madam Nan found the title familiar, but having left Yan Country for many years, she couldn’t quite remember.
"The monarch’s brother," Mr. Meng commented casually.
Madam Nan suddenly enlightened, smiled and said, "Ah, right, the monarch’s brother. I knew it sounded familiar."
Gu Jiao was surprised, "Does the monarch’s brother have such a young child?"
She remembered the Prince of Ming was the Crown Prince’s legitimate son, that is, the monarch’s grandson, and the Prince of Ming seemed about the same age as Xiao Hen, which would make the monarch at least as old as the old Marquis.
Madam Nan mused, "I’m not sure about that." She hadn’t deliberately inquired about the royal family and knew very little about them.
Mr. Meng took a sip of the soup and said indifferently, "Lord Yun Shan is the Empress Dowager’s posthumous child and is nearly thirty years younger than the monarch."
With that, Gu Jiao understood. Lord Yun Shan was the youngest brother of the monarch. His daughter would be of the Crown Prince’s generation. Wouldn’t even the Prince of Ming have to respectfully call the Little Princess his "little aunt"?
Gu Jiao suddenly laughed, "The little one has quite a high standing, huh."
Everyone looked at her with odd expressions on their faces.
After all this, your only concern is about seniority?
That’s the daughter of Lord Yun Shan, the royal Little Princess!
There’s a saying, "Serving the monarch is like serving a tiger," let alone the tumultuous royal family of Yan Country. Madam Nan felt somewhat worried.
Mr. Meng seemed knowledgeable and experienced, so she asked him, "Is Lord Yun Shan easy to get along with?"
If he had a bad temper, she would rather not take on the position.
"Lord Yun Shan is alright," Mr. Meng said, glancing at Gu Jiao, "You didn’t make the Little Princess cry, did you?"
Gu Jiao earnestly replied, "Of course not, why would I make her cry?"
The Jinyiwei guards quickly stepped forward, blocking Gu Jiao’s path.
Gu Jiao frowned impatiently.
"You go ahead," she said to Xiaoshun.
Xiaoshun seemed inclined to stay, but then with a flash of thought in his eyes, replied, "Okay, I’ll go ahead!"
The Jinyiwei guards did not stop Xiaoshun.
Turning around, Gu Jiao faced the two men, "What is it?"
Her unrestrained and insolent attitude caused the Prince of Ming to knit his brows slightly.
Yet Han Che was quite pleased with this effect as he wanted Xiao Liulang to anger the Prince of Ming.
Seeming not inclined to reveal his identity, the Prince of Ming quickly masked his displeasure and said pleasantly to Gu Jiao, "I am a friend of Mu Qingchen; I have visited your Academy before."
"So?" Gu Jiao regarded him coolly, almost bluntly questioning what business he had with her.
The Prince of Ming, used to a life of privilege as a royal heir, had never been treated with such contempt.
Yet realizing that she was unaware of his identity, the Prince of Ming let it go.
He wasn’t giving Han Che face, not himself.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Prime Minister's Darling